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CORNWALL COUNCIL’S LEADER AND CHAIRMAN ARE RE-ELECTED - DID NO ONE ELSE STAND?

David Whalley has been re-elected as the Leader of Cornwall Council.



At this week’s meeting of the full Council Mr Whalley, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Bude -Stratton, was proposed as Council Leader by Ann Kerridge, the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Bodmin, St Mary’s.

His nomination was seconded by George Edwards, the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Newquay Central, who told councillors that Mr Whalley had done an excellent job as the Leader of the Council.

Thanking his colleagues for their support, Mr Whalley said he felt hugely honoured and privileged to have led the Council over the past twelve months.

“Being the Leader of Cornwall Council during the past year has certainly been an interesting experience” he said. “I am looking forward to working with staff and councillors over the coming year”

Also at today’s meeting Doris Ansari OBE, the Councillor for Truro East, was unanimously re-elected as the Chairman of the Council.

She was nominated by Bryan Preston, the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Saltash, who said that Mrs Ansari was in the unique position of being both the first woman to chair the County Council, and the last Chairman the Council would have before the formation of the new unitary authority in April 2009.

Thanking Mrs Ansari for the way she had represented the Council for the past three years, he paid tribute to her “great sense of irony and wicked sense of humour”, and said she always made everyone welcome and put people at their ease.

Accepting her nomination, Mrs Ansari thanked councillors for putting their faith in her, and said it was an honour to be elected as the Chairman of the Council. She paid tribute to the support she had received from Council staff and councillors, giving particular thanks to her Vice Chairman Collin Brewer, and to her Personal Assistant Sarah Goodall.

Collin Brewer, the Independent Councillor for Wadebridge and St Minver, was re-elected as the Vice Chairman of the Council.

He was proposed by Independent Group Leader Pam Lyne, who said Collin had done an excellent job as Vice Chairman of the Council and had worked hard to support the Chairman over the last twelve months.

Thanking members of the Council for their support, Mr Brewer said this was a great honour and he would do his utmost to support the Chairman and the good reputation of Cornwall Council.